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San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association

Find Your Music

aka San Diego Symphony Orchestra   |   San Diego, CA   |  www.sandiegosymphony.org

Mission

The 100+ year old San Diego Symphony Orchestra presents symphonic music of the highest quality and facilitates the accessibility of an inspirational art form through innovative programming and a strong commitment to arts education.

Ruling year info

1949

Principal Officer

Ms. Martha A. Gilmer

Main address

1245 Seventh Ave

San Diego, CA 92101 USA

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EIN

95-2040874

NTEE code info

Symphony Orchestras (A69)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Berton Family Young People's Concerts

A highlight of Symphony music education programming is the annual series of Berton Family Young People's Concerts, held at the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Music Center. Berton Family Young People's Concerts serve schoolchildren aged nine and above from elementary schools across the county. Concerts may incorporate additional subject matter from the humanities and sciences. Prior to each performance, docents visit classrooms and introduce the music students will hear through engaging discussion and activities.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Youngsters and parents alike share in the Family Festival concert experience, enhancing their listening skills and discovering the power and beauty of symphonic music. Pre-concert activities take place one hour before the start of each program and provide children hands-on experience with a variety of Symphony instruments.

Population(s) Served
Families
Children and youth

Twenty-five to thirty-five musicians visit community venues throughout San Diego County and perform symphonic music selected especially for very young children ages eight and under. 2015-2016 performances were scheduled for the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, Ballard Parent Center, Scripps Ranch Library, El Cajon Library, the Museum of Making Music, San Diego Children's Discovery Museum, Valley Center Library, Jamul Primary, and Poway Branch Library. Many students come from low-income families; others attend private or parochial schools. Representation is as broad as the general student population.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Where we work

Accreditations

Charity Navigator 2013

Charity Navigator 2012

Charity Navigator 2011

Charity Navigator 2014

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of professional artists employed

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The San Diego Symphony employs 82 full-time musicians.

Total number of paid seats filled for performances

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adults

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Attendance is by Fiscal Year. FY 2018 is 2017 Summer and 2017-2018 Winter season. FY 2017 is 2016 Summer and 2016-2017 Winter season. FY 2016 is 2015 Summer and 21015-2016 Winter season

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

The San Diego Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to presenting symphonic music at the highest level possible, as an accessible and inspirational art form through innovative programming and a strong commitment to arts education. The Symphony's vision is to be recognized as a world-class orchestra and as a major contributor to the quality of life in the San Diego region. Throughout the Symphony's history, thousands of people, young and old, have experienced the joy of live concerts at the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Music Center, Summer Pops specials on San Diego's beautiful waterfront, and music education programming at a variety of community venues throughout the region. The San Diego Symphony Orchestra is the oldest performing orchestra in the state and reflects the diversity of the region by offering a wide range of concert experiences. Every October through May, classical music lovers from all over the county attend our Jacobs Masterworks concert series. Named in honor of generous local philanthropists Joan and Irwin Jacobs, this series presents the best classical repertoire from the last three centuries in concert performance. The San Diego Symphony Orchestra's Summer Pops and Winter Pops Series (City Lights) feature modern hits and special musical guests throughout the year. Highlights of the Pops programs include the Holiday Pops and the military Home for the Holidays performances in December and the Star Spangled Pops performance in Summer. Throughout the year, San Diego schoolchildren regularly enjoy concerts made possible by support from individuals, foundations and corporations who share the Symphony's commitment to music education for all young people. These programs have become even more important, as budget cuts have eliminated most, if not all, arts education in San Diego schools. The San Diego Symphony Orchestra is committed to providing San Diego youth with an outlet of music education despite recent limitations. As the San Diego Symphony Orchestra concludes its 105th year and continues into a new century of performance and community engagement, we will pursue musical excellence, bring classical music into the community, and inspire future generations of audiences. We will do this by: 1) presenting the best classical music, performed by some of the world's finest musicians; 2) working hard to maintain the organization's fiscal strength and stability; 3) increasing public awareness of the Symphony and its community programming through ambitious marketing; 4) expanding youth education programs; 5) increasing the number of commissioning and recording projects.

In order to achieve these ambitious goals, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra will implement effective marketing and development strategies. On a broad scale, we hope to reach the larger community of San Diego by offering an extensive, yet balanced program of well-known Jacobs' Masterworks concerts and more contemporary pop works. We will work closely with concert promoters to attain the most promising up-and-coming talent. Past collaborative success with children's poet Jack Prelutsky and composer Lucas Richman resulted in the recording of an original commissioned children's work entitled "Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant." The San Diego Symphony Orchestra is excited to further bolster its creative legacy within the San Diego community, and will continue to commission original pieces for world-debut performance by emerging and veteran composers. The implementation of aggressive direct mail campaigns will continue county-wide and reach over two-thousand homes a year. On a smaller scale, we will reach out to the individual youth of San Diego by sponsoring schoolchildren to attend our Symphony Education and Outreach programming during the 2016-2017 concert season. Through concerts featuring a carefully selected repertoire of classical music, performed in collaboration with local arts organizations, students will increase their knowledge and appreciation of symphonic music, prominent composers, and the relationship between music and other art forms. Providing free Berton Family Young People's Concert tickets to low-income students will enhance the San Diego Symphony Orchestra's reputation as a leader in arts education and raise local awareness to the need for more comprehensive music education programming. Special Symphony fundraisers advertised for and held at local tourist destinations, like the San Diego Zoo's "Symphony on the Wild Side," the U.S.S. Midway's "Symphony for Freedom" and the Del Mar Racetrack's "Kentucky Derby - Run for the Roses," bring in first-time donors whose giving interests are cross-genre. Our Special Events team has experience targeting the correct markets for these events and plays a crucial part in the success of the fundraisers.

The San Diego Symphony Orchestra's endowment continues to expand thanks to local individual, corporate and foundation donors. Our proudest capital achievement was the recent acquisition of the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Music Center, the Symphony's performance venue since the mid-1980s, for perpetuity. The Centennial Campaign, established in honor of the Symphony's one-hundredth year of performance in San Diego, continues to grow the funds necessary for the Symphony to sustain the high quality of its musical presentations into the next century. Ticket purchases alone are not enough to maintain our innovative programming, commitment to arts education, and variety of music series - all of which are San Diego Symphony Orchestra hallmarks. And of course, none of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of the Symphony's staff and musicians. San Diego Symphony Orchestra musicians are some of the most talented in the country, and willingly give back to the community with their time and talents. Besides performing during the Jacobs Masterworks, Summer Pops and Winter Pops (City Lights) concert seasons, musicians serve in various capacities as local music teachers, lecturers and mentors. Their musical expertise and generosity is unparalleled. A dedicated team of 50 Symphony staff, spread across Development, Special Events, Marketing, Production and Operations Departments, are also committed to, and supportive of, the arts in San Diego County. The San Diego Symphony Orchestra's Board of Directors is an important resource that has been responsible for delegating appropriate funding to the campaigns and programs that need the most financial support. Their collective experience as long-standing community leaders, managing partners and concerned arts patrons is invaluable.

At a time when so many symphony orchestras are struggling financially, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra has just completed its most successful season ever. The Symphony attributes its success to its talented and adaptable musicians, world-renowned guest artists, a variety of wide-reaching community programs and a strong base of donors and subscribers. Another spectacular concert season has already been set in motion for 2016-2017. Guest artists will include Gil Shaham, Itzhak Perlman and Lang Lang.
At a time when little to no emphasis is placed on music programming for elementary students, we believe that the Symphony's efforts to preserve children's attendance numbers this upcoming 2016-2017 concert season will boost community awareness and demand for more organized educational endeavors. The Symphony is currently submitting grant requests to local corporations and family foundations, requesting funds to sponsor deserving under-represented San Diego schoolchildren's tickets to Symphony Education and Outreach programming.
A recent project initiated by the Education & Outreach department was the commissioning of musical work "Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant," based on the poetry of the nation's first Children's Poet Laureate, Jack Prelutsky. Composed by Lucas Richman, "Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant" consists of 17 short musical pieces that represent each poem in Mr. Prelutsky's poetry collection of the same name.
To facilitate donation activity, a new and more user-friendly Symphony website was created to simplify the giving process and more clearly explain donor benefits. An e-mail newsletter that showcases new and exciting ways to both experience and contribute to Symphony efforts is currently sent to all requesting concert subscribers. Convenient links to the Symphony webpage are always included in these e-newsletters for use by potential donors.
As the San Diego Symphony Orchestra begins another exciting concert season, we can only hope that the generated momentum of enthusiasm and community generosity will continue into the next one hundred years.

Financials

San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association

Board of directors
as of 12/14/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Hal Fuson

Harold (Hal) Fuson

Arts Patron

Sandra Levinson

Arts Patron

Donald Slate

Arts Patron

Warren Kessler

Arts Patron

Deborah Pate

Arts Patron

Linda Platt

Arts Patron

David Snyder

Pillsbury Law

Ben Clay

Arts Patron

John Zygowicz

Arts Patron

Julia Brown

Arts Patron

Sherron Schuster

Arts Patron

Robert Caplan

Arts Patron

Collete Carson Royston

Arts Patron

MItchell Woodbury

Arts Patron

Phyllis Epstein

Arts Patron

Gloria Stone

Arts Patron

Marivi Shivers

US Bank

Janet Gorrie

Arts Patron

Ellen Whelan

Arts Patron

Frank Vizcarra

Arts Patron

Kit Sickels

Arts Patron

Bill Weber

Arts Patron

Kathleen Davis

Arts Patron

Terry L. Atkinson

Arts Patron

Lisette Farrell

Arts Patron

Pam Cesak

Arts Patron

Ardem Papatoutian

Arts Patron

Jeffrey E. Light

San Diego Union-Tribune

Una Davis

Arts Patron

Kristopher Kopensky

Biomed Realty

Lisa Behun

Bank of America

David Bialis

Arts Patron

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 12/14/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Decline to state

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

No data